Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Some days are like days that never end. Some weeks are like weeks that never end. And today, has been one of those days. I am three days late on a deadline for my work, rushing to meet one of my personal deadlines and still juggling all these other things at the same time. Sometime I wonder why everything seems to happen precisely at the same time. It is almost like someone is testing us, to see how much they can put on our plates before we crumble. But, I know that if I make it through, I will be a much better person because of it. So, if you are busy sometime and stumble upon this, think of it that way. If we always go into situations with an open ear and mind, we are bound to learn, even when it is a crazy time.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

So... spring is officially over. I'm not even going to lie, I'm extremely happy that it is. But, I am kinda sad because I know I wont be seeing some of you guys for a while... congrats to all of you graduating! Can't wait for it to be me! good luck on whatever you're doing next :)

Thanks to everyone at CYL, you guys are awesome. Thanks for everything you've taught us.. or at least tried to! haha

Right now, I dont know what I am doing this summer.. Im in a crossroads right now.. but hopefully Ill know in a week... I'll try to update you guys on the matter!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

I woke up this morning and it felt just like any other ordinary day. But the anxiety was building as my days in Tallahassee were slowly evaporating. I have about two more days before I move to Dallas to start my life. It really hasn't sank in yet, you know, the fact that I am done with school. It feels just like every other end to a semester. I'm guessing I'm going to start to feel it over the next week when I start moving into my new apartment with a friend from high school.

I am so anxious and ready to get to Dallas. There have been nights that I'm up till 5 am or even 6 am just tossing and thinking about what's coming up. I grew up in Dallas and after coming out to school here at Florida State I realized how important and special that city has been throughout my life. Dallas has helped mold me into the person I am today and I feel like it is the right place for me to continue the journey. Plus, I am in love with the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks. Watching those two teams here has always helped me feel closer to home over the past four years.

I'm just beginning the packing process and I just realized how much crap I have. I have thrown out three giant trash bags of clothes and all sorts of junk. I'm trying to consolidate everything down as much as possible. I'm only taking my car to Dallas so I have to make sure I can fit everything in it. It will definitely be a tight fit. I think I'll manage though.

It was awesome to be part of the team that won the presentation on Thursday. Last year in creative I my group came in second place so it was nice to win my final presentation as a student. I was part of a great group and feel really lucky to have been able to work with Stacy-Lynn, Ryan, and Rachel. We all had unique attributes and talents and though we had some rough times it was great to see our idea evolve through the adversity.

Good luck to everyone. This is my last post. For now. Holla at chaboi!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

I am electing me to be in the Guinness Book of Records for judging the most team presentations in two days! I witnessed 12 ... count em, 12!

I am also electing me as one of the luckiest guys on this planet for having the opportunity to see all 12. Everyone had insights and surprises. And, everyone had lessons for us all. This is what learning is all about! This is what creativity is all about. This is what the communications category is all about.

I will continue to say that we are the most talented, energized, innovative people on earth. And, we are damn good looking, too.

Thanks to the crew at Catch Your Limit for lending your brains, hearts and hands. You made this semester special for us all. And Melissa, you're HOT!

I just wanted to tell everyone that they did an amazing job last night! I love the end of the semester where we can present and then see everyone else's great ideas too. I think this is a great advantage to have in the ad industry. Every presentation last night inspired me and it's always interesting how we all get the same exact information and challenge and all come out in the end with alot of different ideas. So congratulations Outbreak, Fierce, Promotive Group and my favorite, DART! For everyone that is graduating... I will miss you all and wish you the best of luck!

Just wanted to say congratulations to all of the Creative Strategy students, both I & II. It always feels like it has been quite the journey upon the completion of these classes by presenting our campaigns-- and it truly has been! As I said to my group last night, "Its been a rocky road, but one that definitely lead to success."

I really enjoyed seeing the presentations given last night-- this group never ceases to amaze me.

Fierce: Your ads were SO cute. Your print was extremely clever & that radio ad... HAHA.Outbreak: The use of technology & flash was impressive as usual.Dart: Congratulations! I had to sneak in to catch the presentation, but from what I saw you earned every bit of recognition.And last but not least, Promotive Group: We pulled it off, and I couldn't be more proud. Great work guys!

Well, I'm off to New York to hopefully start the next scene of this crazy life. Good luck to everyone and in the words of Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, "life's a journey, not a destination." Enjoy yours.

I just had to post again, since Stacy Lynn had about 10 in a row, I felt the need to do another one as well.

But what I was going to say was that I hope all the CSI presentations went well. Sadly, I couldn't make it since I am working (well, not right now, but I am working after and before I write this). I took too much time off during this past week with finals and stuff, and I have a huge deadline for Monday. So, my first weekend off of school will be lame. Anyway, I wanted to show you all some stuff I did while I was in Las Vegas that last week of class that I missed. If you surf over to www.CR80News.com, you can see some of the video I shot while there. I have since edited it and down sampled from HD to flash video, so that it can be played on the web. Isn't it interesting how sometimes you end up doing things you never learned ANYTHING about in school! (It does help that I did take some classes with information about video editing in high school, but baby, I am happy to be at a job where I can change my job description so frequently. Honestly, that is why I don't have a business card yet...we couldn't nail down a good title for me.

I wonder if being fluent in French helps in securing a good job in the advertising industry. I'm traveling to France this summer and I hope to drastically improve my French-speaking skills. BUt will this really matter in the big picture? I'll let ya know! I'm not sure yet...

So I don't know what made me think about this, but I forgot to say goodbye to Scott! I had a conversation with both Jeff and Tom, but then somehow I managed to leave without saying goodbye to Scott. Sorry Scott! Thanks for everything and have a great summer!

So, I'm going to Vegas with 6 of my best friends and my sister and her friends for my 21st. Now, I'm not complaing AT ALL, however, the hotels/restaurants/bars are giving us so many ridiculous deals. Free suites, comped meals, complimentary bottles of champagne, etc., etc., etc.I love this and all, but honestly, they should smarten up about their marketing. We aren't going to gamble. We aren't going to buy their ridiculous-priced drinks. We aren't going to make them any money. I'm appreciative for their special treatment, but its a waste of their time...

What is it about Tallahassee cops? Did you know we have one of the most corrupt police departments IN THE NATION? At least that is what the Pensacola News Journal said. I've had multiple friends who have awful stories involving them. Tonight was no big deal, but I had a friend who tried to move another friend's car because his friend couldn't drive because he had been drinking. The friend who hadn't had a sip of alcohol all night was hand-cuffed because the cops said "they were detaining him because the keys were evidence." Does this even make sense? The intoxicated student hadn't driven in at least three hours since he arrived at the bar. He had NOT driven drunk. The cops wouldn't specify what the keys were "evidence" for, and they wouldn't explain why they were detaining the sober, responsible student. They simply wanted to arrest someone for a DUI. I think driving drunk is disgusting and I'm all for ending it. However, Tallahassee cops are going too far. They were trying to get someone who was being responsible and NOT driving in trouble. Honestly, that's disgusting too.

So my freshman year of high school I wanted to be a consumer psychologist. Don't ask me how I found out about this profession or ever decided to desire to be included in it. But I did learn something cool when I was researching it...Have you ever wondered why various brands choose particular colors?

Symbolism of Color and Colors That Go TogetherColors are more than a combination of red and blue or yellow and black. They are non-verbal communication. Colors have symbolism and color meanings that go beyond ink. As you design brochures, logos, and Web sites, it is helpful to keep in mind how the eye and the mind perceive certain colors and the color meanings we associate with each color.Physical and Cultural Color ReactionsSometimes colors create a physical reaction (red has been shown to raise blood pressure) and at other times it is a cultural reaction (in the U.S. white is for weddings, in some Eastern cultures, white is the color for mourning and funerals). Colors follow trends as well. Avocado, a shade of green, is synomous with the 60s and 70s in the minds of some consumers.Color RelationshipsIn addition to understanding color meanings, it helps with mixing and matching colors to know the relationship of adjacent, complementary, and clashing colors. But below is a brief synopis:Adjacent or harmonizing colors appear next to each other on the color wheel. Harmonizing colors often work well together but if too close in value they can appear washed out or not have enough contrast.Complementary colors are separated by another color on the color wheel. Complementary colors printed side by side can cause visual vibration making them a less than desirable combination. However, separate them on the page with other colors and they can work together.Clashing or contrasting colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. Despite the name, colors that clash are not always a bad combination if used carefully. They provide great contrast and high visibility.On each of the cool, warm, mixed, and neutral pages are links to profiles of specific groups of colors with descriptions of their nature, cultural color meanings, how to use each color in design work, and which colors work best together.

So my friend Aubrey isgraduating and we used to go to Chubby's freshman year. As a tribute to our good times, we decided that for the last Thursday we'd ever have together as students at FSU to re-visit our favorite place. We also felt compelled to ensure that we made the bus for Chubby's, not because its super fun, but because it's tradition. Isn't it slightly funny how we love tradition so much? Maybe sometimes we try too hard to get creative that we ignore what is comfortable for the target audience. Just something to think about...

So I know you found out awhile ago, but I'm super excited for you Joe!! I did an internship with TBWA/CHIAT/DAY last summer and it was AMAZING...you will learn so much and have so much fun, but don't let yourself get caught up in it all. A lot of interns got cocky and weren't as concerned about impressing their bosses. DON'T DO THIS. Make sure they know you feel so blessed to be there and are so excited to work for them.

Ryan you're so cute! Ok so I for one think our group was the bomb diggity and I loved everyone in it!!! HOwever, I think the whole class was awesome. I would've loved to know ya'll better and have been able to do two presentations with everyone. I love the relaxed structure of the class because it encouraged creativity and I loved Melissa's ideas/opinions because I think they really challenged us.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Everyone did extremely well tonight. I enjoyed seeing everyone's ideas and enjoying the good times together. It is hard to believe that it is all over so fast. In some ways it is good, because hopefully the next time I have to do something this hard I will get paid for it, but I don't know if I will be able to work with such great people. Even the people not in my group, but simply in the class have made a difference. It is just such a fun and open environment to work in and I hope that we always remember that it is in places like that where great ideas are formed.

I'm writing one more blog. I should be studying for the final I have in 2 hours. I should be packing because they are kicking me out tomorrow before the presentations so everything needs to be moved out tonight. I should be working on stuff for the presentation. I can't. Its too depressing. I was supposed to have left tonight right after the exam, and be the first roommate to leave. But instead I changed some stuff up and now I'm the last one here. My roommate whom I shared I bedroom with left like a week ago, but she came to say goodbye today. my suitemates who I shared a living room and bathroom with just finished moving out a minute ago. So here I am alone in my dorm room, which I hated so much and I'm so sad to see it go. There is so many memories here. Things I bumped my head into, things I smacked my knee on, things I walked into, places I fell. And good memories too. The nights Katie and I would sit up till 2am together IMing each other, even though we were right next to each other. Amaliya and I sitting back to back and web-camming each other. We were practicing for this time apart...and now that it is here it is really sad. For some people, change comes naturally, moving is a new adventure and it is always fun. To people like me change is devastating and will always miss things left behind. I'll miss not being able to smell anything because the dorm always got me sick. I'll miss my really cluttered desk everyone else hates. I'll miss the people I swore I'd never care about. I'll miss complaining about our little room. It's just really sad....

A lot of my blogs were about dealing with stress because that was the only thing I had going on, really. Well now its time to ask..how do you deal with being sad?

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

It's been a pleasure getting know everybody this semester. I've learned a lot from my fellow students, Tom, Melissa and the rest of the Catch Your Limit gang. It'll be interesting to see what everybody brings to the table tomorrow night after so much time being invested into this project. Best of luck on your project preparations and good luck on your other finals. I'm sure everybody is going to do great.

Just wanted to wish all of you taking finals this week ALL the LUCK in the world. Study hard and do your best. May be I'll run into some of you at UCC or Club Strozier. Take care guys. I already miss having class with all of you!

So its my 21st birthday today, and since unfortunately it falls during exam week, I have spent it studying in the stadium. But don't feel bad, I'm super lucky because I have amazing friends. At 12:00 my friends surprised me with balloons, cupcakes, vodka (it is my 21st) and a few of my favorite things, namely chocolate-covered raisins, cheese, snickers, and marshmellows. These girls obviously know me and know that chocolate and cheese comprise my favorite food groups, but it got me to thinking. These things are listed on my profile on facebook, so someone who had never met me could look at my profile and know these things that took a long time for my best friends to discover.

This is a huge breakthrough for marketers. I think that advertising/marketing will consistently become more personalized. Companies will become more focused on the specifics of their target audience rather than classiying them as a whole. Our jobs will rely more on personal research, so that companies can create the quintessential brand relationship. Companies with a small clientel base could reward their customers with their favorite candy on their birthday or complimentary iTunes download of their favorite artist.

So my group, met on Friday night, and I expected it to be any old meeting. But we met at CYL, and as far as I know our group has met their the least. But anyways, something magical happened, and we rocked out our radio commercial. Me and Liz had sat down countless times to try writing it, but nothing every happened. All four of us goofed around, threw in ideas, and started literally role playing anything that came to our head. Two hours later something beautiful came out of all of this. This is the first time this semester something creative happened without being forced. We had fun with it. I have forgot that this project is suppose to be fun. It's not supposed to stress you out beyond control, or put little circles under your eyes. I'm glad I realize this, maybe a little late, but this next three days will probably be my most creative and fun. Good luck everyone, I am so excited to see everyone's presentations!!

Monday, April 21, 2008

The last blog of the year....and it is still hard to come up with something meaningful to talk about.

So this was my first year at college..and actually it didn't feel like college at all. It feels like a really cool like summer camp or something. It almost feels like I can't wait to go home and tell everyone back in high school all about it. There is no more high school, hasn't been for almost two years, thanks to community college. I have that book, my mom got it for me, about mistakes college freshmen make. I didn't read it, and I don't know where it is. I'm sure I made 80% of them. Starting with living in the dorm. I loved my room at Salley Hall....but I'm completely not glad to leave it. Just the packing is terrible. We finally took down all the decorations this weekend and waking up to blank walls is painful. The room is back to looking like a prison. I always joked with my friends in the military about living in the barracks...after having lived in the dorms...and visited many barracks...I'd take military housing in a heartbeat. Not that it wasn't a good experience...it was...but its a good thing to leave behind. It's really hard to express feelings about the dorm. My roommate is amazing, my suite-mates...not so much...my RA was FANTASTIC...the mold and other things in our shower..not so much. when I knew I had to live here I just closed my eyes to it, but now that I can leave I can see all the gross yuck-ness dorms have to offer. I didn't get the freshman 15..or so I think? In fact as a person it doesn't feel like anything has changed. I'm sure it has, and people from back home told me it has, but it doesn't feel like it. The only difference I can notice is the change that happened was when Matt got back from Iraq. I'm no taller, hair is no different, and I feel almost completely the same. It feels, like summer camp. But it isn't....With the semester ending I'm getting ready to go home where there will be no more high school and very few people to tell unique college stories too. So this is it. The last blog of the semester. And I still had nothing profound to say. Damnit.

For some of you all who know me, this comes as no surprise. But this past weekend were FSU Cheerleading tryouts, and I was there, trying out. It was quite unexpected, and I was definitely a little rusty. I cheered two years here at FSU and then got married and decided to take a year off in case I needed to work more or something. It was a good decision, especially since there were so many unknowns in my life at that time. But, this fall should be a fairly light class load for me, so I decided to come back and give it a whirl. I think that it is going to be a fun year, there are still a lot of people on the team that I know from previous years, and that will make it much easier to get reacquainted with everything. Interestingly enough, there are actually 4 guys on the team that I went to high school with and 2 girls. That is strange, but neat.

One bad thing that came from all of this is that I had to shave my lovely beard. I started to grow it as soon as I quit Publix, since I was not able to keep facial hair while working there. But, since cheerleading is very heavy on appearance, I also had to get rid of it for this as well. Not really anything to cry about, but it is hard to see yourself looking different than you usually do.

I have to say, I don' t really like all of this goodbye business. Let's not forget that we'll see each other on Friday!!! The day we've ALL been waiting for;-).....and while I am extremely glad that the semesters almost over, I am sad to part with all of the great times that we've all had. Monday's have been so amazing and I've truly had fun with you all and getting to know everyone better. But this isn't a 'goodbye'. Its more of a 'see you later, and thank you for the great memories'.

P.S.Here's my personal tip for getting through this week (with a smile on your face and everything) :

just imagine how ridiculously fun your Friday night will be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its been working for me =DHope it helps and see you all Friday...(maybe even Friday night lol)

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Just want to let everyone know I am planning a great blog this next week. I think it will be great, but I can't do it yet because I don't have the picture I need for it. Also, best of luck to all the people pulling their stuff together this week, as well as the people pulling their hair out this week. It is hard to believe the semester is over. (I think the spring semester goes faster than the fall semester, but in actuality, they both go pretty fast when you are really busy.)

Well, that's all for now, but I think I should have something much more interesting up tomorrow.

I am proud to say that I finally learned how to drive a stick! My boyfriend was very patient with my lurching and stalling, but I think I'm really starting to get the hang of it. This may seem like something small, but for me it's something I've always wanted to learn.Speaking of woot, check out woot.com. It's a website that has a great deal on a different product every day. It could be anything from a computer to a set of golf clubs to a crappy water gun. It's fun to check out every day.

Has anyone had trouble finding the spending levels of competitors for the media planning project? I can't seem to find the info anywhere and when I asked McClung he sai " that's the hard part...they don't give that information out". ??

First off I’m going to start by saying, I love the new (I think it’s cingular) ad campaign! So far I’ve seen 3 commercials (the one with the punk rocker playing pool and he doesn’t know his friend is trying to get a hold of him to get tix, the one with the guy playing basketball, and the dad who's up at the make out point)

I think it’s really funny and relevant especially for our generation who relies so heavily on cell phones and how annoying it is when somebody’s “not in service”.

HOWEVER

I want to know who told them about group whipple chapter 13s project… b/c they defiantly start the each line with “BOOP!” I know one of you told them… it’s ok duplication is the greatest form of flattery! Haha

PS: while were talking about cell phone commercials, has anybody else noticed that they replaced the “sprint” guy!?! Did they think we didn’t notice… the new one is just some lame guy with a wig, the other one was way better.

PSPS: i guess everybody's saying bye, so i'll do the same... PEACE OUT GIRL SCOUT! can't wait till next year!

I'm graduating in 6 Days. I have so many great and not so great memories here and at the end of the day i'm happy I choose to spend to my college career at Florida State University. I remember the my very first class and thursday I had my last class. What's next for me? Well I'll be spending the summer in Chicago with a great agency called Leo Burnett/ Arc Worldwide after that I'll be in graduate school. But who knows. I wish all of you the best and remember to take CHANCES. If you are offered a great opportunity to intern in another city or state. Take it. If you schedule in the Fall isn't to heavy get involved with an organization. And if you have the chance to travel aboard, LEAVE. These are seriously the most flexible years of your life, it may not seem like right now, but you can do anything.

Yes I went to go see the Forbidden Kingdom on opening night. I love action moves especially movies with Jet Li in them. The movie was set in modern times and ancient times. The Premise is an American boy living in China and he is obsessed with martial arts movies. He befriends an elderly shop owner and during one of his visits to the shop he sees a golden staff. This Golden staff turns out to be important and he is in charge of giving it to it's rightful owner. Since Jackie Chan is in this movie there are a couple of humours moments but for the most part your glued to watching all of the action. I give this move a B+.

So yes, the semester has final come to an end. I know it's cliché to say but time has flown bye. It seems like it was just yesterday that we had to create our first print ads and now we are creating an entire presentation. Though I am sad, I can't wait til next Friday when we present. Good luck to everyone on finals and even more luck to you all for Friday. Take care and enjoy your last weekend of the semester.

Friday, April 18, 2008

At first I thought blogging would be hard to get used to. I thought it would just be a pain in the you-know-what. But now my feelings have changed - I think I'm going to feel incomplete without the blog. It was something I would do at the end of my weekend, like a time marker so signify the beginning of a new week and to reflect on the week past. Perhaps I will begin my own personal blog and build on what I've learned from blogging in this class.

This being my last CS1 blog, I would like to say that I have a learned a lot - not just from Jeff and Melissa and the CYL crew, but from each of you. I loved the energy that our class had, the environment we created. You all have so much talent and creativity! I'm glad that I can call you all friends, not just classmates. Jeff told me that he was surprised at how a lot of us hang out with each other outside of class and assignments. He said that when he went to school as a Creative writing major, he never hung out with his classmates outside of school. It's a shame because I've met some of my best friends through class! So I just want to say that if I don't have the pleasure of having another class with you, or if we don't hang out outside of class, I wish you all the best and I've thoroughly enjoyed spending time getting to know everyone.

Now that my mushy goodbye is over, I have a funny story to tell all of you:

Laura and I have been in UCC all day working on our dang project and we decided we needed a dinner break, so we would Vespa over to Pitaria. Picture Laura and I sharing a scooter, riding around campus - this is already a funny sight. But to make it better, as we're going uphill on Copeland, the Vespa runs out of gas! so we walk it to the top of the hill and then ride it downhill just on momentum. Luckily there's a gas station just across Copeland so we gassed it up and went on our merry way. I guess you would've had to see it when we broke down but I couldn't stop laughing about it.

In the beginning of the semester I didn't really even know what a blog was.I dreaded trying to think of things to write about.It got easier and easier to the point where I would go about my week and think oh I should blog about this. I looked back to my first blog and I have definitely grown as a blogger. I wish I had commented more...it was fun reading other peoples comments and what people had to say in response to mine. I wish there was an option to be told if someone commented because I never would have seen some of them if I wasn't reminiscing ha....I also wish I could see all of my blogs or other peoples blogs in one clump vs. searching through the hundreds of blogs. I might just email google.

We even created a blog for our creative group to keep track of everything and I've started exploring other peoples blogs.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

I can't believe the semester is already over!!! Hope everyone is getting excited about presentations. Just wanted to wish everyone best of luck this week.For those of you in my advertising research class... these presentations will hopefully be a much better experience.

This blog has inspired me to make my own blog documenting my entire internship experience in L.A. so look out! Not only will it contain my TBWA\Chiat\Day days; you should see speeding tickets, the beach, and me turning 21. And per the request of my girlfriend, I have to eat everywhere L.C. has.

... I still have some interviews this week and next. I'm going to continue on and see what I am capable of getting. I want to talk to all the contacts I can and network like crazy. It couldn't hurt... and plus, I'm still kind of holding out for the Saatchi and Saatchi internship through CosmoGIRL! as it is my top first choice.

I guess we'll see......

If any one needs internship help or contacts, I can now breathe and sigh of relief and actually spend some time on other things. Let me know! I applied to literally, 30+ places.

As my fourth semester of college comes to an end, i wish my bad procrastinating habits would do the same. Facebook just never becomes boring to me when I have a million other things to do. It's not even Creative Strategy work that I'm putting off...it's media planning. I guess that shows where my real interest is. I would love to sit here and play on photoshop and indesign for hours creating print magic, but this media planning paper has me consumed for now. Not to mention it is a Thursday night...which used to be the night I looked forward to every week. Potbellies with the girls! But tonight I will have to skip out. Reality is calling my name in the form of media planning. Anyway, this paper would have been a lot easier if we were given a structured format of what our media plan should look like, but I guess in life you don't always get that structured format to follow, do you?

On a side note there's something I must bring up. The other day I heard someone in my house tell someone "just be an advertising major thats like the easy backup choice these days". The person who said that got a big mouthful from me, to say the least.

“It’s like washing a pig. It’s messy, it has no rules, no clear beginning, middle or end: it’s kind of a pain in the ass, and when you’re done, you’re not sure if the pig is clean or even why you were washing a pig.” - Luke Sullivan

We've used this quote for a long time in our Creative Strategy classes at Florida State and when we start creativity initiatives with organizations. This semester we decided to add a little experiential education to so our students really grasped what the quote meant. It was Tom's idea to make use of my friend Josh who owns his personal pig named Baby J. So we borrowed Baby J for a pig wash to really understand how messy creativity should feel.First of all Kyle and I went to borrow the pig from Josh which was really an experience in itself. When we arrived at Josh's house he was feeding Baby J chilled pineapple chunks and also enjoying some himself. Graciously, Josh offered us some pineapple and not wanting to be rude we accepted. Josh instructed us on everything we needed to know about caring for Baby J. He even provided us with a box of vanilla wafers for getting Baby J to do what we wanted. Once we got Baby J loaded into the back seat of my truck we were off to Tom and Melissa's to wash this pig. As we drove down I-10 with a pig in the back seat and Benson (our office Yorkie) in Kyle's lap we wondered what the news report my look like were we to be involved in some kind of tragic accident.

We filled a small kiddie pool with Cotton Blend Bubble Bath from Bath and Body Works to create a relaxing environment for Baby J we even considered lighting a few votive candles.

At first the kids were really tentative about approaching the pig. You could see they felt it would be easy. As if they could simply approach the pig and it would lay back and relax as they scrubbed its hooves. Such is not the case with pigs, or rather with Baby J she is very smart, wily, and elusive. She doesn't like to be washed. So after hesitation by the students I decided to pick up the pig from behind and toss her into the pool. The washing proved difficult as she kept wiggling her way out of my grip. After repeatedly capturing her and placing her in the pool a small group of students decided it would be easier to lather up the pig rather than try to force her to take a bubble bath. This worked pretty well though it probably wasn't as romantic for her.

The pig wash was amazing as an experience and I'm glad to say I now know how to do it. We may use our new experience in pig washing as an added service to our clients. Honestly though I think one of the most rewarding parts of it was that we've used, read and heard this quote so many times that actually making it happen and creating an experience out of makes it so much more meaningful. Plus Baby J is really just a wonderful pig. Feel free to check out more pictures here : http://picasaweb.google.com/CatchYourLimit/CreativeStrategyIWashingAPig

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I'm sure you all saw Jeff's blog about that Beckham lady's ad with her legs sticking out of the bag. It made me think of all the randomness in the world and how it seems to come out when people try to be "edgy." There is a difference between new and inventive and just...well...random. Occasionally random can take away from a solid idea.

Case in point: Gemini

Gemini is a movie about twin brothers who have never met. They were separated at birth because one of the babies had a strange birth mark on his leg that looked like a snake. The marked baby was considered a bad omen and dangerous to the prosperity of the house so they threw him in the river. Luckily he was found by circus folk who raised him. Eventually he finds a girl, falls in love and tries to live happily ever after. Until the troupe is broken up and he and his love are separated. The girl believing her lover is dead is shocked to find his twin brother. So they shack up. Of course the marked brother re-enters the picture, throws his sibling down a well and tries to take over his life.

Normal drama right? NO WAY

Visual cues throughout this thing are on steroids. The family is always in white. The circus/slum people are in what looks like the crazy bohemian punk fashions that come down the runway every spring. And the killer is the INTERPRETIVE DANCE SEX. Yes...yes..I'm serious. I'll get the trailer for the movie and post it. It is a real head trip...an example of BAD random.

I'd be willing to bet that almost all of us internet addicts have come into direct contact with the massive e-prank known as the "Rick Roll" in some form or another relatively recently. For those of you living under a rock for the past six months (joking, of course) "Rick Roll" is the term coined to explain a massive internet meme in which an web user is led by another to a certain website or video relevant to the topic at hand, only to end up watching the 1987 music video for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up". It is the classic bait-and-switch: Victims are caught off guard into thinking that they will be reading about the latest gossip, or catching up on the latest news on the upcoming Halo video game, only to come face-to-face with Rick Astley's baritone voice, beige trench coat, and cheesy 80's dance moves. It is primarily used on internet message boards and forums (with an emphasis on video game and tech boards) since it allows the prankster to rick roll a large amount of visitors at a single time.

This trend has really caught steam in recent months - to the extent that news outlets like BBC and CNN has even caught up on all the hype: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2008/04/11/west.uk.rick.rolling.itn

Furthermore, the Youtube rendition of the Rick Roll has registered 10,559,752 hits as of the publishing of this post. An April 2008 survey by SurveyUSA, a publicity and marketing firm, estimated that over 18 million Americans have been rick rolled since the trend first began. Just two weeks ago, the New York Mets (my favorite baseball team BTW) rick roll'd a capacity Shea Stadium crowd of more than 40,000 after more than five million internet users requested that the Stadium play the song during the 8th inning. Rick Astley beat out a couple of other guys you might have heard of - Jon Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Billy Joel, etc. (and to boot, all of those guys are from the NY/NJ geographical region).

So what's to stop the Rick Roll? It has massive momentum and has become a huge viral success all over the web. While the humour factor of the rick roll is quite apparent, another obvious issue it brings up is the sheer power of viral/guerilla marketing. When 18 million people have been exposed to a single video at almost zero expense, it is hard for marketers and big business not to notice. In fact, marketers have already cashed in on its popularity - Sony SMG is banking in on the Rick Roll success as it plans to release a Rick Astley Greatest Hits CD by the end of the month. It is easy to see that while the Rick Roll has become a completely random, massive internet phenomenon, it also speaks volumes about the future of advertising and marketing. As the ultimate objective of marketing communications is to reach as many people as it can at the highest frequency possible - all at the lowest expense - Rick Rolling definitely fits the criteria of a successful marketing device. There is a common-held notion that publicity and PR are slowly overtaking advertising as the primary form of marketing communications and Rick Rolling definitely supports that hypothesis.

This is not to say that advertising is completely dead - there are still a plethora of media that advertisers can take advantage of in many ways. However, I feel that traditional advertising is simply losing its edge to more cost-effective and high-reaching viral methods. Broadcast and Cable TV just aren't the dominant media that they were for so many years. Radio is non-existent with the exception of high-population regions and certain niche segments. And unfortunately a lot of people just don't have the time to pick up the newspaper and magazine as they did in years past. And it's mainly because people are on the go in this highly corporatized, fast-changing economy. This isn't the 1950's anymore where the entire family crowds around the TV and watches Ed Sullivan together as a whole. This is the 21st Century, where everything is digitized and people are everywhere and have things to do. The most effective means of catching a busy person's attention is by catching them off guard with something out of the ordinary, something that makes them break in stride while walking back to the office from Starbucks and gets them to think, "what in the HELL is that?!"

So the next time you're led into the latest Perez Hilton article or hottest YouTube video only to end up staring at Rick Astley's puffy red hair and extravagant back-up dancers, remember that the words "Never Gonna Give You Up" hold a bit more meaning than just as a nostalgic 80's pop tune.

And for those of you interested a televised CNBC business analysis of the Rick Roll phenomenon, click here

When I get old and retired, I will become a published human being and maybe I will document the history of blogs. I found so many different first blog dates that I don't want to say that any of them are actually true. But in an article in the July 30, 2007 Information Week, they cite a Wall Street Journal article about the 10th anniversary of the first Weblog. Which would put the first blog around 1997. Wikipedia agreed with this: "The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May of 1999. This was quickly adopted as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog")."

But then blogging turned into a lot to do about journaling and social networking and the lines separating them are so fuzzy now. It is even getting more acceptable for news organizations to have blogs, some personal that have nothing to do about news, but other are more geared toward the news.

I think that this blog has been a good exercise for us and that it will be preparing us for the future. I speculate that there are a lot of companies out there that want to get into the blogging/commenting/two-way connection over the internet, and you may be able to help them. Taking a medium that was once unidirectional and making it multi-directional may be one of the most valuable things about the internet.

I also have to comment about light and shadows since I spent a good half hour thinking about it yesterday. Like why can't you have a colored shadow? And why can't you fill the shadow with a colored light and have the spray of the light mix with other light coming from the front become a different color? Interesting...

So, I read Craig's blog and I completely understand. This whole internship process is really tiring. I have applied to what seems like a billion places and have only heard from a handful. Even with that said, you still have the phone interview... and I've had my share. There are others I still have lined up. As the process continues, the more restless I get.

BUT, yesterday I got an email from CosmoGIRL! that made my day. Let me back up before I get too ahead of myself. Okay, well, when I was searching for internships, I stumbled across an opportunity with CosmoGIRL! magazine to have your "Dream Internship" with one of 10 companies. They choose 10 girls - 1 at each. Saatchi and Saatchi in New York was one of them and so I decided to take a chance.

Usually with things like these you apply and never hear anything about your application or who won, but I applied anyway and after I didn't hear back from CosmoGIRL! or Saatchi after following up, I lost hope. BUT then yesterday I got an email from CosmoGIRL! saying that I was a finalist and that my stuff was sent off to the agency to be reviewed. I should be contacted sometime next week.

I would die if I got this opportunity!!! Fully paid travel and housing expenses in New York... could I ask for anything more?

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

So, I just wanted to give a little light at the end of the tunnel in the days of all our stress. We are almost DONE! Less than 2 weeks left and i know we all are feeling the pain and stress of all our projects and exams buut we can do it! This is what I have been telling myself every late night I spend working on group projects or beginning to write note cards for exams or trying to decipher for the life of me what the heck I am supposed to be doing for Media Planning. If we all can get through this last week and a half of the semester we have a whole lot to look forward to this summer. We are all nailing internships and have a whole 4 months of ME TIME! So good luck in the last week everyone! We are almost Done!!!!!

Good news: I landed an internship for the summer.Bad news: He wanted me to start LAST Friday. I had work. He now has me starting this week. A week before finals. I'm trying to juggle group meetings for Brandon, my real job at Olive Garden that pays the bills, and my other classes. Thankfully, I'm only doing the internship and my job this summer...no more classes 'til fall.I NEED SOME FREAKIN' YOGA!!

Income tax returns are due today, as I'm sure you all know. I went down to H&R Block today to have my taxes done since I had some questions for them anyway. As I sat anxiously awaiting the amount of my return, the tax professional sweetly turned to me and informed me that I owed the IRS $41. So much for the extra cash I was hoping to throw at my widening black hole of credit card debt.

It's the end of the semester and I realized I have been home to visit for a total of one hour. I only live three hours away and the most I could pull off was an hour, in passing mind you, to grab dinner with the fam. Needless to say, I'm homesick. Between work, school, and the oh lovely sorority I have found that Spring semester has been far busier than Fall ever was, even with the football games! With this in mind, I cannot wait for summer! Eventhough i will still be working and going to school and hopefully have an internship Im praying I can squeeze in a little time! <3

It's been a really long time since I saw my mom. We talk all the time on the phone but the last time i saw here was in August. So she decided it would be a good idea to surprise me with a little trip to Tallahassee. Her work gave her some time off for the weekend and she decided to come spend it with me- so that was nice.

We went out to lunch and I took her through campus and did all of the cheesy stuff you do when your parents come into town. But I had to work 8 hours on Saturday- and there was no way i could get otu of it.

So when i got home at 10 oclock pm i find my floors scrubbed, clothes washed, dishes cleaned, refrigerator stocked, AND a chocolate on my bed. How you can you beat that?? It was good enough for me that she came down to hang out but she hooked it UP for me. I was stoked.

I feel like there are "birthday seasons". Has anyone ever noticed that? Maybe it's just me but it seems like from September to November then again April to May, the birth rate freakily influxes. All my friends birthdays fall into this range of months, which doesn't do well for my social life or my wallet. I try to pride myself on being a good friend so I suck it up and attend the parties on a Tuesday night when I'd rather be in bed sleeping or in Strozier studying for a test the next day, and I grit my teeth and smile the entire time I'm dishing out $20 for a party bus or a birthday present. Ah, yes, a birthday present. I absolutely refuse to be the cliche gift card giver so this, more than a hangover, is a painful process. It's so hard to give the perfect gift. Good thing I'm well-trained in the art of CREATIVITY (I'm a level 2 creative "grad" aren't I? I think that counts as being well-trained... or something.) so it's been pretty easy in the past. But nothing is as tricky as buying for the opposite sex. So, what do I do in this situation? Google it. Duh. I wanted to share what I found with everyone so you aren't the shamelessly lazy friend who gives cash. Yes, I'm saving you from yourself. Plus, this website is pretty cool.

I've been meaning to blog about this, and even though it was a week ago I still feel inclined to tell the story...

So, last week Joe and I met at Catch Your Limit to go over some White House Black Market ideas. We casually met in the conference room ( for anyone who has been there, it's right behind the computers in the front room)and closed the door for some privacy. Scott knocked on the door to open it and the lock failed to budge. For a good 20 minutes Joe and I were locked in the toy filled conference room, trying to help Scott break the lock. It's probably one of the easiest places to come up with creative ideas, considering the environment, but it's quite hard to think outside of the box when you're stuck in one...haha. Anyway, It was probably one of the funniest things ever but I guess you just had to be there.

Hope everyone is getting excited/ready for our presentations next week! I can't wait to see what everyone came up with!

Every Olympic year SPEEDO comes out with new swim suits for their Olympic teams. This Olympic season, the new suit is the LZR Racer suit. This suit is amazing. The suit is ultra lightweight, water repellent, the LZR Pulse (darker part) reduces muscle oscillations and skin vibration through powerful compression. The LZR Panels (lighter part) created less drag and are embedded at strategic points on the swimmers body to deliver optimum streamline shape and drag reduction. There is also a core stabilizer to help maintain the best body position in the water.

It is unbelievable how much engineering goes into these suits. Already 13 world records have been broken by swimmers wearing it in the past two months. Olympic trials, the fastest meet in the world, is coming up at the end of June ( Yes, it is faster than the Olympics) and it is going to be interesting to see the effects of this suit.

Speedo sponsored athletes get this suit specifically made for their bodies. They scan their bodies and then construct the suit from how the water hits them. In the picture above is Natalie Coughlin, she is the world record holder in the 100M backstroke (59.21), and the first woman under one minute in that race ever.

While I was web searching I came across these really cool European truck advertisements. They look so real because they're painted in 3D! I've never seen anything like this in the U.S. before but I thought they were really awesome. Check out the one where the truck looks like it's driving backwards...no wonder that one isn't here, it would probably freak people out and cause a lawsuit or something! Anyways, hope you guys enjoy these (and maybe they'll inspire you to create something great). I can't believe this is the end of the semester (and that we're going to wash a pig tonight!). It went by so fast! I enjoyed it. Good luck everyone with their White House Black Market projects! :)

Well I got a new job, at The Zimmerman Agency. I will be working in Public Relations Logistics. I already am enjoying myself because my day has differed so much from my usual day at Olive Garden. I get to wear what I want, I get to do other things while I am working (e.g. this), everyone is young and fun and NICE, when people ask you to do something they say please and thank you, and best of all it's going to help out my resume a lot. Only I would start training for a new job the week before finals. I cannot believe school is almost over....OH MY GOSH! I am sure I will be seeing all of you in the lab till the wee hours of he night this week. I am so excited for Summer! It will be my first official Summer in Tally. I am going to be taking one class, working at Zimmerman, and at Olive Garden...and in June I'm off to Vegas for a week....wooohooo! So I just have to more weeks left to make it happen and make it great. You other groups beware because we are coming for domination. Good luck to everyone, and congrats to ARROWHEAD!!!!

Going along with Brittany's post, it's crazy to think that this is the last week of the semester. And Vanessa's post highlights how much we've all changed in our creative class. Time really did fly by! I'm looking forward to this summer because I'll be studying abroad in Paris. I am eager to hear natives speak, eat baguettes and cheese, CREPES!, tour museums, Victor Hugo's house and Oscar Wilde's grave (I'm a nerd), Versailles, so much more! I want to be fluent in French and there is no better way to practice than to immerse myself in the culture. Of course I get self-conscious when I have to spreak French, but I'm just gonna have to get over it. I mean, I survived this class, I can do anything, right? The only thing I'm worried about though is flying. I've never had a fear of flying, but there have been so many things going wrong with airlines (safety issues, the plane incident a few months ago on Ocala...) It also doesn't help that I saw Cloverfield this weekend. Anyways, that is still a couple of months away. So til then, I need to get through this last week and do well on all my finals. Good luck everyone!

Well of course this semester is coming to an end, wow time flies by when your having fun! I keep thinking about how I only have three more semesters to go and then its graduation time! Then real-life. Well this summer I'm pretty excited cause I actually got an internship, which I can't wait to start. Its working for a magazine, my actual dream job. Its not for like Cosmo or Elle, but its this really wealthy magazine from Southwest Florida. I get to work in the marketing dept and basically its a PR job, but who cares. I am so ready to get my hands into this crazy world. I'm tired of working for these college jobs just to pay for bills or whatever else you use your money on. I'm really excited to see how everything turns out! The only thing I'm a little nervous about is moving back home. Since I have been in college(3 years now) I have yet to go home for summer, in fact I have never been home for more then two weeks. And that has only happened twice each time when my sister was having her baby. So I'm a little scared to move back in my parents house and actually back to cape coral. I mean my life is now in Tally, when I go home I feel like I'm just visiting my family. Its going to be quite an adjustment. I am really happy though to be able to help my sister with my nieces. I don't get to see them very often and this summer I can see them everyday if I want. I get to hangout with my mom and dad. I have a ton of friends from Ft. Lauderdale so it won't be hard to drive the 1 1/2 hours to see them instead of the 8 if I was in Tally. Well anyways, this summer is going to be a handful with my internship, a possible another lame job, and my family(its big and crazy)!! I'm ready to take in on!

I was never a fan of the Naomi Campbell “life water” commercial in the first place, but I can’t believe they’re still playing it now that she’s been arrested for assault for the third time!!! I feel like I’ve seen it now more then ever… are they really using her third arrest for PR? Lame! Especially because whenever she’s arrested, it’s for violent and immature behavior. (it could at least could be for something cool… right Lindsay?)Hitting her assistant with her cell phone?! Freaking out on an ex!? Throwing a temper tantrum over a bag!? What is she like 5!?!

What is wrong with this girl?! Since she’s a has-been anyways, and obviously a psycho, I really think life water should drop her endorsement/ commercial… especially because she get shown up by animated lizards and doesn’t do Michael Jackson any justice.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

I am so impressed with how close all of us have become this semester. It's really cool to see everyone come up with new and creative ways to attack the challenges that we have come across this semester. I think our closeness has a lot to do with a change in our attitudes, we stopped thinking about looking stupid in front of people and started thinking about the best ways to express ourselves. For instance, did anyone forget how class went last Monday? Well if you did, no worries, I have pics!!!!!

Hey everyone, I know the majority of us are stressing as these last two weeks come to a close. I found this article about foods that will help you beat stress. Couldn't hurt, right?

Nine foods that will keep you calm

Forget everything you've heard about stress-eating being a bad thing. If you put the right foods in your pie hole (i.e., not pie), noshing when your nerves are jangling can actually calm you down. And that's great news, because the last thing you need is more stress, which over time can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity -- and the odds that you'll go ballistic on Mom when she asks, for the third time, what your unemployed fiancé does for a living. These yummy, easy-to-find foods soothe stress and can counteract the damage that chronic pressure does to your bod. Stock up on the lot of them so that when the tension rises you can eat instead of freak.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They're bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. Almonds also contain B vitamins, which may help your body hold up during seriously unpleasant events (like getting a year's membership to Match.com as a present). About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Another easy way to get a fix is to switch from traditional PB to almond butter on high-tension days. (We like All Natural Barney Butter Almond Butter, $7, barneybutter.com.)

Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. "We experience immediate cardiovascular responses to stress because of the 'fight or flight' response," says Sheila G. West, M.D., associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. When stress strikes, the hormone adrenaline raises blood pressure to boost energy -- so you're prepared to run like hell if you need to. But because we seldom need to fight or flee (dodging your annoying aunt doesn't count), it's better to blunt the strain on your heart. A 2007 Penn State study led by Dr. West found that eating one and a half ounces (about a handful) of pistachios a day lowers blood pressure so your heart doesn't have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress, West says. Add about an ounce to salads, cereal, or oatmeal.

Avocados

The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream and try some homemade guacamole -- the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders' double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. (For a healthy recipe favorites in under 20 minutes, check out the WHRecipes homepage.) One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium -- and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you'll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, pure a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

Skim Milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness.Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.

Oatmeal

Carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more slowly your body absorbs carbs, the more steadily serotonin flows, according to Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a former MIT research scientist and co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet.The result: a less-likely-to-snap you. Because thick, hearty oatmeal is high in fiber, few things take longer for your stomach to digest, says Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Food & Mood. Wurtman also recommends topping it with a swirl of jam for a quicker release of serotonin. When you know it's going to be a doozy of a day, avoid heavily processed varieties (e.g., the sugary kind that come in packets meant for the microwave), which are digested more quickly, and take the time to make thick-cut old-fashioned oats, like McCann's Original Steel-Cut Irish Oatmeal ($6 for 28 oz, amazon.com). But if two minutes for breakfast is all you have, you can still do your mood a favor by opting for instant oatmeal over Cocoa Puffs.

Oranges

Fretting over a job interview or presentation at work? Pour yourself a glass of Florida's famous juice or peel yourself an orange. The magic nutrient here is vitamin C. In a study in Psychopharmacology, German researchers subjected 120 people to a public-speaking task plus a series of math problems. Those who took 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C reported that they felt less stressed, and their blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal faster. "Vitamin C is also a well-known immune system booster," says Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. So don't be bummed that you got a fruit-of-the-month-club gift instead of the video Nano -- you're going to need all those oranges and grapefruits.

Salmon

Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study fromDiabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Eat a three-ounce serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and light tuna, at least twice a week," Jamieson-Petonic says. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA (you'll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yogurt, milk, and soy products); but don't go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.

Spinach

Magnesium was made to calm holiday insanity. First, the mineral can help lower your stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another round of small talk at the company party. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued.(And almost seven out of 10 of us don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Just one cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily value -- so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads. (And now you have an excuse to indulge in the spinach dip!)

This weekend hasn't been very eventful due to the fact that I have tons of work to do by the end of the semester. My sister came in town this weekend again and she has been keeping me company while I'm doing homework.We went to the Spring Game since we are both huge Seminoles fans. The game was pretty disappointing since the offense was not playing well at all. On a good note, this weekend, my sister and I have seen the Budweiser 'dude' ads a bunch of times and we love them. I definitely believe that this Budweiser campaign is genius. There are so many different scenarios that can be used for these commercials. I especially love that I usually see a new commercial each time.

Well, I am looking forward to our party tomorrow night. It should be interesting to wash a pig.. I am definitely excited to eat some good food! I'll see you all tomorrow night!

So my dog's name is Tiramisu. Reason being, she smelled like tiramisu when we got her. No kidding, she smelled delicious and we had no idea why. Now that I think about it, it may be due to the fact that Tira's mom belongs to my sisters best friend, who is Cuban. And whenever we'd go to their house they always have Cuban coffee and pastelitos.....so maybe the aroma of the house just absorbed into her fur...who knows?!

Anyway her name's Tira and she's a sweetie. She's well-mannered and trained. She loves being around people, going to dog parks, and going swimming. Shes perfect except for this tiny character flaw: she's kinda spoiled and always wants the attention. And I mean ALWAYS wants attention. Her father, Chewy, was my first dog. We had him since I was in elementary school, but sadly he passed away last September :( They loved each other and would sleep by each other and play....but Chewy could never get attention from us for too long. Tira would be a bully and would jump on his back or jump in between us and want to be picked up or pet. So although she no longer smells like tiramisu, the name stuck. We call her Tira the Terror...or sometimes just Terror...or we refer to it as 'Tira-rizing" everyone because of her nature for being a brat at times. Then we learned that tiramisu the dessert means "pick me up" to the Italians, because of its high sugar and egg content. So as you can see "Tiramisu" was definitely the perfect name for my pup!!

As I look forward to graduating, I just want to thank Tom, Melissa, Jeff and everyone else from Catch Your Limit that has made Creative Strategy 1 & 2 a BLAST. I have learned more than you probably even know. So as I move on I wanted to leave a little poem for you guys to enjoy.

Finals are important, make sure to prepareAnd make sure you remember to BE THERE!Good luck on your client presentations, you will be greatMake a good impression and don’t be late!I know I am going to miss this crazy classAnd I’ll always remember that Catch Your Limit Consulting kicks ass!Tom, Melissa and Jeff have taught us many different ways to get the job doneBut most importantly to always have FUN!

So if anybody hasn't seen the new Nike Kobe Bryant ad, you should go check it out. I don't think the ad has been "officially" released, but it was put on Kobe's website (KB24.com) last Thursday.

There has been much speculation as to if this is real or not. I'm gonna say that this is definitely not real. There are many things that are put into athlete contracts that don't allow them to do stupid things like this. So I'm guessing if he was going to do this, Nike wouldn't be paying him to do so.

Anyway, this is still a pretty neat ad. It has created a lot of "buzz" on whether it is real or not. And that, in turn, is what I've been told is "breaking through the clutter." So go watch it and find out and make your own opinion.

I work at a trade publication and one of our heavier fields of coverage is the campus card market (like the FSU Card program). In fact the FSU Card was a pioneering campus identification card and was the first card to be partnered with a bank for student to use. Well, this huge company (Heartland Payment Systems) has started this new campus card program that takes advantage of the payment processing company that it is. The new campus focused program is call the Give Something Back Network. Yeah, it sounds like a great idea to give back 1.5% of every transaction, but does it really work? Another thing is that you can set up the card to give the money back to yourself as well. The accounts are FDIC insured so I think that it is all legit.

Anyway, when we were working on the United Way campaigns, I thought that this would be a great way for the United Way of the Big Bend to get donations. If you think about it, you don't pay any money at all. If it says your total is $5, you pay five dollars. The way they do this is they charge the merchant the processing fee, lets say 3%, but then, the processor (Heartland) only takes 1.5% and then the other 1.5% is donated to charity. The only thing is though, I don't know if this would work for UWBB since they aren't a campus. But you would think they could get people to sign up for these accounts, and then UWBB would get a pretty constant flow of money. Maybe we should look into this more.

Dupri will serve as president of the new company, which will distribute through Island Def Jam Records. Dupri said in an interview on MTV.com that, in the face of declining sales and technological advancements, this deal will provide him and the label with promotional support that's unprecedented in today's market.

Artists that are signed up will get the full support of marketing campaigns built around the TAG brand including television, print, radio, digital and event marketing.

This is certainly an area that SFS feels is set to grow and could be a great a way for artists to have more freedom and control over their product and for brands to have the ability to invest in content and get a return over and above the promotional benefits of being associated with an artist. Just imagine the potential returns if a brand got involved on the ground floor with a financial interest in the next Alicia Keys, Beyonce or Jay-Z.

Is Miller Genuinely Daft?

MGD Keeps Changing Its Message, Sales Keep Sliding

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Beer marketing 101: The most consistent brands fare best. Bud Light got to No. 1 by providing three decades of nearly uninterrupted chucklehead, frat-boy humor; Corona became the top import by never straying from the beach; and Coors Light surged in recent years by obsessing about its Rocky Mountain roots.

Product: The real problem?

Then there's Miller Genuine Draft.

Since 2001, the long-declining brand has burned through four agencies* and is about to break at least its eighth tagline in almost as many years. During that time, it has centered its pitch on both juvenile sexual humor and the maturity of the people who drink it; cited both its lack of pretense and its inherent sophistication; and touted its cold-filtration brewing as superior while being marketed in tandem with its heat-pasteurized siblings.

Maybe this timeGiven those dizzying contradictions, it's perhaps not surprising that shipments have dropped about 41% since 2001 to roughly half its early-'90s peak, a trend Miller hopes it can snap with a new campaign -- once it settles on one, that is.

In an interview at Miller's distributor conference in New Orleans last week, Deb Boyda, the Milwaukee-based brewer's VP-content communications, said the brewer plans to test two different campaign ideas, both from MGD agency of record Y&R, Chicago. The aim is to replace last year's failed "Experience is golden" effort, which focused on the beer's cold-filtration origins and also referenced the active lifestyles of its target drinkers.

The first idea being tested plays upon the word "genuine" in the brand's name by setting the beer in contrast to phoniness. "We brew to a high standard, and we brew for people who live to one," said Ms. Boyda, summarizing that pitch. The second effort being tested, she said, echoes the "Out of the old, into the cold" campaign that launched MGD to early success during the late 1980s and early 1990s by emphasizing refreshment metaphors.

This one will lastAsked about MGD's propensity to change campaigns annually, Ms. Boyda declined to discuss the past. But she said the apparent toll on the brand from the constant campaign flux explained why Miller was being so "diligent" in picking the next direction for the brand, one it hopes to stay with for a while. "We're not going to play fast and loose with such an important brand," she said. "It's always challenging to resurrect a brand that was vital and dynamic and bring it up to date."

Spending, too, has been erratic. MGD was supported with only $15 million in measured media in 2007 and about $38 million during 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. In 2004, the brand got nearly $93 million in measured media.

Whichever campaign wins out will be Y&R's second stab at a brand Martin, Ogilvy & Mather, JWT and Wieden & Kennedy each have tried and failed to revive in the past decade.

Category going flatSome who've worked on MGD -- such as Joe Sciarrotta, the Ogilvy Chicago creative chief who handled the account in 2003, during Ogilvy's stint as agency of record -- say the problem is that MGD is a full-calorie domestic macro-brew, a category that has long declined. "It's not a marketing problem; it's a product problem," he said.

But the brand has tended to underperform even its woeful peers, some of whom -- Coors Banquet and Miller High Life most recently -- have managed an occasional flat or marginally up year this decade, something that's eluded MGD.

Dennis Ryan, who led JWT's overtly sexual "Never miss a genuine opportunity" campaign and its watered-down follow-up effort, "Pure MGD" from 2000 to 2002, said Miller, which was then owned by Philip Morris, lacked the gumption to stand by an idea. "I worked on Anheuser-Busch brands for 13 years," Mr. Ryan wrote in an e-mail. "And once they made a decision, they supported it. They committed to it. To A-B, their business is personal. That was never my experience in Milwaukee."

In other words, maybe the new managers at SABMiller should heed the brand's 2003 tagline from Ogilvy: "Keep what's good."

~ ~ ~CORRECTION: An earlier version of this said that MGD had been through four agencies since 1991. It actually had four agencies since 2001.

So it's 5:06am and I am watching the YouTube video of Jordan Sparks and Chris Brown singing "No Air" from the link below while watching Saved By the Bell on TV. It is also really hot in my house right now. What a way to end my Friday night. Yea..........I'll end on that note.

Friday, April 11, 2008

American Idol last night was a shocker! I can't believe Michael Johns was eliminated! Oh well, he wasn't going to win anyway. Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks performed "No Air" which is a really good song. Check it out.....

Last night was American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" show, and it had the highest rating of the night. It was less than last year, but I guess it stills counts for something. I personally love that specific show, because it helps increase awareness on what's going on in the other side of the world, and I think we all need to remember that there's people in worst situations than us, and that we should stop worrying about things that may seem big at the moment but actually are not. So think about and look for ways to give, maybe not to Africa but to any charity or cause you feel close to. Now, here's an ad for a charity that I think is pretty aggressive and does the job for awareness.

MANY people look to fashion advertisements as eagerly as they do the layouts, and a perusal of the spring issues finds chalk-striped vamps at Dior, discoing Amazons at D&G, hipsters at Burberry and cloud-borne nymphs at Lanvin. Emerging from all this dreamy splendor, like an uninvited guest, her sharp elbows out, is the figure of Victoria Beckham.

Ad team's competition is this Saturday and I am in the ad lab alone looking around reminiscing on this wonderful past few moths. (this picture is at the very beginning of some of us)

Everything we have worked for this semester all leads up to this weekend.

Hearts and Soul were put into this campaign.....and it shows!I am so proud of this team and so fortunate to be on it.

Everything from....

the bad tag lines to the book to the presentation to the hours spent to all the fast food to the sleepless nights to the delirious moments to seeing how I've grown to the vending machine trips to the laughs and memories to the different types of amazing people to friends that I hope will last a life time to peers that I look up to and aspire to be like to not getting to ever see my old friends to learning the dynamics of a team to seeing how people handle pressure to balancing ad team with everyday life to dance breakout sessions to the quote board to bigger garbage cans to no paper to making sacrifices to being a team player and appreciating a team player to the commercial to creative brainstorming to instant messaging

...has made this journey something that has changed mesomething that will stay with me foreversomething that has tired and exhausted me yet overpowers me with me with happiness

What it comes down to is yes I have learned so much and the experience is irreplaceable but its not just about that.....what made this semester amazing for me was the people. I love them.

I really hope the team does well this weekend.We have done everything we can. I am wishing ad team the best of luck and that they perform the best they can just like we have all semester.They have done a phenomenal job and deserve to go to Nationals.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Working in a restaurant has given me a different perspective on dining out. I deal with some of the sweetest and most polite people; however, I also deal with some unbelievably rude and inconsiderate ones. Here goes my rant!1) If you want a booth, tell the hostess who takes your name. Do NOT wait until s/he walks you all the way to the back of the restaurant to request a booth. Also, if you are considerably overweight (we're talking 300+ lbs), please do not request a booth and make us watch you awkwardly try to manipulate and squeeze your fat into the tight space. (Sidenote: if you have to request a chair with out arms because you can't fit, should you really be eating fettucine alfredo at the Olive Garden?)2) If you come in to a restaurant with a party of six or more, it's going to take a little longer to accomodate you. We are more than willing to help you out. However, please understand that this is not a banquet hall. If you have a party of 30, do not act outraged and alarmed at an hour and a half quote time. Spare me your attitude. Get there early if you have a time constraint.3) Discipline your freaking kids. This is Olive Garden, not McDonald's. Your kids do not need to be running around toppling trays and spilling food.4) When a host or server smiles and asks how you are doing, at least pretend to have decent manners and give a response. There is nothing more awkward than greeting someone with a smile and a friendly hello and having them stare at you with a stone cold expression on their face. Who knew Italian food was such a serious affair?5) Stay OUT of my personal space. I can't tell you how many old men have rubbed my back, pinched my cheek, leaned way too close to my face and winked, and brushed their hand a little too close to my chest.6) Do not seat yourself. My job is to take you to your table. Believe it or not, I actually know what I'm doing, and I take you to that table for a reason. Do not try to tell me how to do my job.

Creativity

“It’s like washing a pig. It’s messy, it has no rules, no clear beginning, middle or end: it’s kind of a pain in the ass, and when you’re done, you’re not sure if the pig is clean or even why you were washing a pig.” - Luke Sullivan